Revelations
by Beka Alcott
Summary: Sam meets her long lost sister! Who is she? Where has she been all Sam's life? Find out the answer to these questions and more! Has SJ, character death in a far off chapter, and bucket loads of angst. For Lauren. Chapter 3 rated M.
1. The female McKay

_**Revelations**_

_Little story (okay, not so little) that I wrote about 2 years ago. Lots of angst (eventually), and the shippyness will out! Please review! And please excuse the bad writing at the beginning – I wasn't really that good at this 2 years ago! It should improve as the story goes on (hopefully). Originally Sam's sister's name was Becca Alcott, (yes, I know, very original - not. In my defence I was 16 and an idiot), but I changed it to Lauren. This story is dedicated to Lauren Hyatt-Green, a girl in my year at school who died February 2007.  
_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate, or any of the characters. And if I did, I wouldn't cancel the show for the world. Plus Sam and Jack would have got together in Season 9. AND Janet wouldn't be dead. Plus Cassie would be in it more. Okay, I'm done.  
_

* * *

Colonel Jack O'Neill sat across from Major Samantha Carter, watching as another brilliant idea formulated in her mind. He loved the way she frowned and bit her lower lip as she worked, before giving that cute little smile when she got to the answer she was looking for, and beaming up at him would deliver that infamous techno-babble which he never understood a word of, but enjoyed listening to just the same. As long as he was awake. And in good health. And had had coffee. 

At long last he caught sight of that glimmer of a smile beneath the bent blonde head, and seconds later she muttered:

"Yes!" Jack cocked his head to one side, smirking at her.

"Yes, Major?" Sam looked up at him with shining eyes.

"I think I've got it, sir!" She replied excitedly.

"And . . ." Jack prompted, motioning for her to carry on. Sam was in a flurry of anticipation.

"This is just so exciting, sir! If _only _I'd seen this before! Imagine the impact on the scientific community when we tell them what we've found!"

"Which is what?" Said Jack in mock impatience.

"A-theory-about-the-sub-space-electro-magnetic-field-and-how-it-links-to-the-wormhole-generated-by-the-" Sam stopped when she noticed Jack's hand held up to stop her. She smiled nervously at him.

"Carter, I haven't a clue what you just said, but will it help us?" Sam looked back down at her scribbled notes, and began to summarise what she'd found.

"Our current problem is that we have an incoming wormhole, which won't disengage. Now, judging by what we already know about the Stargate, it should have shut down four hours ago." She looked up and Jack nodded at her to continue. "This means that it _must_ be drawing power from somewhere else, in order for it to remain active this long. The radio signal that is still coming through is another necessary factor to it remaining open. Therefore, if we kill the signal, the gate shuts down." She paused. "Theoretically."

"So . . . how do we do that?" Jack ventured.

"Send an EMP strong enough to overload whatever is sending the signal through."

"And if that doesn't work?" Sam looked down, and said, quietly:

"I don't know. Yet."

"Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter, report to the briefing room." General Hammond's deep voice boomed over the intercom. Sam and Jack looked at each other for a moment, both asking the silent question: _What now?_ As one, they got up and left for the briefing room.

* * *

On entering, Sam's eyes immediately locked with those of a brunette woman, perhaps a couple of years younger than herself, seated at the table. Frowning slightly, Sam turned to General Hammond, wondering why on Earth she was needed for whatever this was about, when she obviously had other important things to do. Saving the world being one of them. 

Jack had also noticed the mysterious woman, and, after making a mental note that she was quite attractive, like Carter – no, shut up brain – he too turned to General Hammond.

Noticing the enquiring stares from the two impatient and stressed officers, George Hammond risked a reassuring smile. This was going to be difficult. Very difficult.

"Colonel, Major, I'd like you to meet Dr. Lauren Alcott, an aspiring physicist who would like to offer us assistance with our current situation." He watched as a muscle in Sam's mouth twitched, and she tensed. He knew she wouldn't take this well. Lauren smiled at her sweetly. She'd been warned by her superiors about Sam. Jack shot an annoyed look at General Hammond and the new scientist on the block, and cast a nervous glance at Sam before speaking.

"Actually, sir, I don't think we'll be needing Dr. Alcott's help. Carter has an idea."

"Oh?" George raised an enquiring eyebrow at Sam. She withdrew her gaze from Lauren and explained her theory to General Hammond.

"That won't work." Lauren stated simply. Sam glared at her.

"I agree that we'd need to test a few more of the variables, but if everything is as it appears, I don't see why there'd be a problem."

"Which is exactly why I've been called in, Major. To see the things you don't see." Sam opened her mouth to reply, but General Hammond raised a hand to stop her.

"Major, I know you're not happy with this, but if you could just work together on this I know your combined efforts will be successful." He gave Sam a look that said, plainly: _please?_ Sam sighed inwardly and forced a smile.

"Yes sir." She led Lauren out, avoiding her eye. _This is going to be a _very_ long day, _she sighed inwardly. Jack watched the two women leave, and then turned to General Hammond.

"Sir, this is a bad idea. Carter could sort this without her."

"I'm not disputing that, Colonel, but the President has stated that he wants a non-military scientist working on it. He thinks someone from outside the project might see things differently, and I have to say I can see his point. As I was going to have to bring someone in, I thought it might as well be someone good. Lauren Alcott is the best there is."

"I seem to remember not too long ago you describing Carter as 'the best there is'." Jack countered.

"I understand your concern Colonel, but until this problem's sorted, I'm afraid we're stuck with her. No one's questioning Major Carter's ability as a scientist."

"No one except the President and whatever crackpot's influencing him."

"That's enough, Jack. Dismissed." Jack gave him a stony glare before saluting and marching out. _God I hope Carter hasn't taken this the wrong way._

* * *

_And that's the first installment! I promise, it does get better . . . _

_Please review. I need reviews like Sam needs blue jello. And Daniel needs coffee. And Vala needs pink fluffy handcuffs. Ahem._

_Beka _


	2. Hostile Takeover

**_Revelations - part 2_**

_And here is chapter 2! Enjoy!_

* * *

After half an hour of 'talking' with Lauren, the headstrong scientist had challenged and countered every judgement and theory Sam had made. Sam was silently counting to ten, twenty, a hundred in her head, wondering why on Earth she was letting this woman get to her so much. It was all she could do to keep her voice even and resembling some sort of calm as she spoke. 

"Look. I know you think you're a mark above me, and hey, maybe you are, but I have experience on my side and I'll have you know that those theories that you've just torn to bits and thrown in my face have pulled through and been applied to so many different circumstances that I think it's fair to say that, although they may seem like mere assumptions, I do know what I'm talking about. Perhaps," said Sam, suddenly changing track, "instead of proving how inadequate a scientist I am, you should be worrying about your new problem. The fate of the Earth. I'd offer to help you, but, hell, I'd probably just be in the way, and my stone-age ideas are probably _far_ too basic for someone like you. Let us know when you have a plan." And with that, she stood up and left, leaving a fuming Lauren sitting at her desk.

* * *

She found Jack in the commissary, eating green jell-o. He looked glumly up at her as she walked in, and motioned for her to take the seat opposite him. She sat down shakily, and tried to calm down a little in the presence of her CO. 

"Hey. Congratulations. I was expecting you here fifteen minutes ago." He informed her. Sam stared at him in disbelief.

"So you think I'm a failure as well? I'd have thought you of all people . . ."

"Hey! Calm down! That isn't what I meant! Just listen, OK? That's an order!" Sam was shocked into silence for a few seconds before pulling herself together and muttering:

"Yes sir. Sorry, sir."

"Right." Jack took a deep breath. "No, Carter, I do not, and never have, thought you were a failure. You're the furthest thing from a failure I've ever seen. What I _meant_ when I congratulated you on lasting out that long, was that after the performance _she_ gave in the briefing room, I was expecting you to lose all patience with her long ago, and just leave her to it, if she's so damned clever. I had no idea how much self-control you must have."

"You have no idea." Sam muttered. Jack gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Jell-o?"

"Please."

* * *

Lauren sat in Sam's lab, staring at the calculations written in Sam's neat scrawl. Her mind was fogging over, and she hastily blinked tears out of her eyes. Then, she pulled a blank piece of paper out and began writing, frantically, as she skimmed over possibilities and dead ends, endless dead ends, until the page was covered and she stopped. It was then that she noticed how alike hers and Sam's handwriting was. Uncanny. 

Rubbing sleep out of her eyes, she glanced over what she'd written. Then she sighed and covered her face with her hands. _Why_ had she pushed Sam away like that? Who was she kidding? She may have serious doubts about Sam's slightly absurd theories, but whether she wanted to admit it or not, she needed her. Sam was undoubtedly the expert in this area, whereas she was more of an Earthly physicist. Alien technology wasn't really her field. Wormholes and sub-space maybe. But then Sam was an expert in everything. It wasn't fair. _God I sound like a stroppy teenager. Mum, it's not fair, she's already had a turn._ She blinked back tears again, and went back to work.

* * *

Three hours later, Sam had a plan. She went straight to General Hammond, but stopped dead in the doorway. Lauren was already there. George looked up, and nodded at Sam. 

"Major, come in, I'd like you to hear this." Sam sat down stiffly opposite Lauren, ready for whatever the bitch was going to throw at her this time. To her surprise, the younger woman did not return her defiant stare, but instead was avoiding her eye, looking meekly down at her papers. Sam started in shock. If she didn't know any better, she'd think Lauren's hands were shaking.

By the time the rival scientist had finished speaking, Sam knew her hands were shaking. Three hours and that was the best she could do? Admittedly it was a good plan, not one that she had thought of, but it wasn't exactly original. She was just about to deliver her own proposal when Lauren suddenly spoke again.

"Major Carter, I'd just like to offer you an apology for my behaviour earlier. It was uncalled for, and I'm ready to admit that I was wrong. Although I may not agree with some of the principles your theories are based on, they are quite brilliant, and without them I wouldn't have thought of this." If Sam had been surprised and shocked before, that was nothing to what she felt now. Stunned, she looked into Lauren's eyes, and saw sincerity and, something else. She couldn't put her finger on it.

"Apology accepted. And I'm sorry too, I wasn't exactly . . . accommodating." Lauren looked down again, and didn't move while Sam offered General Hammond her idea. At the end, Sam added:

"Sir, although I understand it is your decision, you should know that I think Dr. Alcott's idea has a better chance of working." General Hammond raised an eyebrow at her, but as she held his gaze, he accepted that she probably meant it. He glanced at a very stunned Lauren, who was mouthing wordlessly at Sam.

Having talked at great length about what would be needed for the success of the plan, General Hammond eventually dismissed the tired women. Sam headed straight for the door. Lauren left a moment later, and called after her.

"Hey!" Sam stopped, and turned round.

"Thanks." Sam shrugged.

"I didn't do that for your benefit. I genuinely think we have a better chance with your idea, and when it comes down to it, I'm going to do what I think's best for the survival of the planet." She walked away, wondering for some reason whether she should have been so harsh.

* * *

_2 hours later_

"Close the blast doors!" Sam yelled at the microphone, as all around her sparks flew and equipment overloaded and burnt out. Electrical surges were running through the entire system as a result of the explosion of Lauren's idea in the gate room, but Sam was still typing furiously on the keyboard, trying to shut it down so not too much damage was done. Three systems down, four, five . . .

"Sam!" Daniel cried out as Sam fell to the floor, electrocuted by the surge in her keyboard. Lauren fell to her knees next to her, wide eyed in horror.

"Is she alright?" Daniel tentatively felt for a pulse.

"We've got to get her to the infirmary!"

* * *

_Hope you liked it - please please please review!_

_Beka_


	3. Broken childhood

**_Revelations - part 3_**

_Warning: This chapter is rated M, for non-consensual sex. Don't read if it's going to offend you, or you're underage. I don't want to upset anyone._

_The secrets of the mysterious Lauren are revealed!_

* * *

Sam wondered numbly why her head was pounding. It wasn't before, before . . . She groaned as she remembered.

She opened her eyes, and immediately snapped them shut – the light was blinding. Squinting, she saw the outline of a head against the glare of infirmary lighting. She really must talk to Janet about those lights. Too many times had she woken up here and been blinded.

The head leaned over her, and she recognised it as that of her CO. Jack peered at her, concern etched on his features.

"Hiya Carter. How're you feeling?" Sam groaned.

"How long have I been out?"

"Four hours." Jack smiled grimly.

"What?" Sam sat bolt upright.

"Easy there, Carter, Doc says you need to rest." Jack placed a firm hand on her shoulder and tried to ease her back down.

"But, the gate, the explosion, what's happened, what's everyone doing? I need to get down there!" Sam spluttered in protest.

"No you don't. It's taken care of."

"What do you _mean_ it's taken care of?" Sam asked, exasperated.

"I _mean_ the problem's gone, the gate's fixed. After _Doctor_ Alcott's plan backfired, General Hammond ordered them to fall back on yours. It worked. You saved the day . . . again. And you weren't even conscious for it!" Jack teased. Sam gaped at him open mouthed for a minute, before falling heavily back on her pillows.

"So that's it."

"That's it. You hungry? I brought Jell-o." Sam giggled weakly, and gratefully accepted.

* * *

Half an hour later, Janet had grudgingly let Sam go, after being assured that at the tiniest of headaches, dizziness or nausea she would be back. Sam walked slowly towards the control room, but, finding the way blocked, turned instead into the gate room. She gazed around at the wrecked room, the only thing still intact being the Stargate itself, and even that was looking a little the worse for wear. Sighing, she walked out again, and made for her quarters. She could do with some sleep.

She was just passing her lab, when suddenly she stopped, listening intently. Slowly, she walked towards her lab door, and pressed her ear against it, still listening. Someone was in there, she could hear . . . sobbing? Wondering who on Earth it could be, she turned the door handle, and immediately saw Lauren, crouched on the floor with her back to the wall, crying quietly. She didn't look up as Sam came over to her, and slid to the floor beside her, wincing as her aching joints protested. Sam looked at the woman who'd seemed so strong and defiant, now falling to pieces on the floor of her lab, and felt something stronger than just pity for her. Slowly, she put her arm around her shoulders, and, after a moment's hesitation, Lauren gave in and leaned against Sam's supporting weight, her head on Sam's shoulder as she cried.

When the tears seemed to be subsiding, Sam eased Lauren off her shoulder, and studied her closely.

"Are you OK?"

"Me? You could have been killed! Because of me! I was so-God-damn-stubborn!"

Sam frowned at her. "I didn't know you cared."

Lauren looked up at her with eyes shining with tears "You don't know, do you?" She whispered.

Sam reached a hand to Lauren's face and gently wiped away the fresh tears.

"Know what?"

Lauren stood up and walked to Sam's desk. She picked up the pile of Sam's notes, and placed them beside her own. Sam joined her. She frowned at the scarily similar handwriting, and looked at Lauren curiously.

"It's not a coincidence." Lauren stated.

"What do you mean?" Asked Sam, confused. Lauren sighed, and began her story.

"I was born into a nice, respectable, well-off family, who loved me and cared for me. I was just six months old when I last saw that family." She paused, and touched Sam's notes, before continuing. "I was cradle-snatched, and spent the next year of my life with my kidnappers: a tart and her criminal boyfriend, who couldn't have kids themselves – my theory is she caught an STD which brought about that. Anyway, when I was eighteen months old, someone – I don't know who – reported to the police that my 'parents' had kidnapped me, and that I wasn't theirs at all. They were sent to prison, and I was put into care.

"I was fostered by about six different families in as many years. As you can probably imagine, I wasn't the easiest child to bring up," Sam smiled, "and I just kept being moved on. I always ended up back at the orphanage. On my seventh birthday, however, I was adopted. It was a couple with four other kids, three younger than me, one older. The older one was their only biological offspring – an estranged daughter. She wasn't talked about, and all I knew about her at the time was that she was nineteen and wasn't speaking to her parents. The younger ones were all babies. I stayed there for the rest of my childhood, till I was old enough to get away . . ." Lauren's voice broke. Sam touched her arm gently, as comfort.

"What is it?" She asked quietly, her voice full of concern. Lauren wiped her eyes, her hands shaking. Sam caught hold of them as the shaking got worse, and Lauren looked at her with haunted eyes, tears spilling again. Sam pulled her into a hug as Lauren started to cry, shaking and sobbing till Sam thought her heart would break. When she had regained control somewhat, Lauren pulled away, and sat down on the floor, leaning against the cold concrete wall of Sam's lab. Sam sat beside her and waited patiently for her to continue with her story. Eventually, Lauren took a deep breath to gather herself, and spoke, in barely a whisper.

"I'm not sure if I should tell you, I never told anyone, not even my best friend, the closest thing I had to family."

"You can trust me." Sam said with sincerity. Lauren looked at her critically, and then smiled.

"I don't deserve you." She whispered, leaving Sam confused again. Before Sam had time to ask her what she meant, Lauren continued.

"I'd never been happy with them. They had no time for me, the babies took up all their time and energy, and I was a seven year old girl who so far had been deprived of a childhood. I was expected to be a good, quiet little girl, who helped out with the babies and the housework to earn her keep. And I was, and did."

"That doesn't sound like you."

"It wasn't. But they scared me, especially the dad. He was huge, heavy, and rough looking, and he scared the living daylights out of me. For a good reason." She added, shivering. "I played the good little girl for too long. They'd squashed my spirit. I was a scared, wretched, meek little thing, who didn't speak a word unless it was asked of her. Which was exactly what he wanted." Lauren shivered again, more violently this time. She gulped, and continued. "I was twelve. I'd just started puberty, and he was drunk. Not so drunk that he didn't know EXACTLY what he was doing, though." Lauren was shaking again, and Sam put an arm round her, protectively. "He came to my room. I was asleep but he woke me up. He said I'd been a good girl and now it was time for my present. I wasn't sure whether this was a good thing or not. I could tell he was drunk, and he was wearing a horrible look that scared me stiff. But I never, I never once suspected . . ." Lauren broke off, choking back another sob.

"It's OK, you don't have to say it." Whispered Sam, eyes filled with tears in horror. She was praying that she'd got it wrong, that Lauren didn't mean what she thought she meant. Lauren leant into Sam, with her head on her shoulder as before. Sam hugged her close, trying to protect her from demons she couldn't see or touch.

"I didn't think to fight back. I was twelve; I hardly knew what was happening. When he'd . . . finished, he stroked my hair and told me I was a good girl, and that it was 'our secret'. I didn't move all night, and I didn't once take my eyes off that spot on the ceiling where his big, ugly head had been. I never told a soul. Not till now." They sat still for a minute, Sam in shock over what she'd just heard, Lauren with her eyes shut tight, trying to block out the ghostly sound of the bed creaking, and his panting and grunts as he used her, his huge, heavy, bulk suffocating her as he lay on top of her thin frame. For fifteen minutes they just sat there in silence, each lost in their own nightmares. Sam unconsciously began to stroke Lauren's hair, and she gradually felt Lauren relax her tensed body, and stop shaking. After a while, Lauren broke the silence.

"I never told you the reason you heard that story." She whispered.

"Something about our similar handwriting not being a coincidence." Sam prompted.

"Not just that." Lauren replied. "Other things, too. Think about it: have you ever met anyone who matched your passion for science, unashamedly challenged your theories, had identical handwriting and even _looked_ quite a lot like you?" She felt Sam's body tense, and knew she'd struck home.

"You don't look _that_ much like me." Sam whispered.

"Enough for me to wonder. And do some digging."

"And?" Asked Sam, already knowing the answer.

"That nice, respectable, well-off family, who loved me and cared for me, was yours. You were two when I was taken. You won't remember. But Mark must do." Sam wondered dimly if it was possible to be this shocked so many times in one night. Lauren was . . . her _sister? _How was that possible? _Why_ didn't her dad or Mark tell her? How could she not have known? She watched Lauren numbly as she pulled herself out of Sam's arms and knelt in front of her. Lauren looked into Sam's eyes, trying desperately to see some kind of reaction. She had wanted a family for so long; to be rejected now was more than she could bear. Sam blinked a few times to get her eyes back in focus, and lifted a hand to Lauren's tear-stained face. Lauren lifted her own to meet it, and held it close against her cheek.

"I always wanted a sister." Sam said croakily. Lauren's face erupted with the smile Sam knew so well, it was exactly like her own, and the two women sat on the floor in a tight embrace, crying and laughing, till Lauren insisted that Sam go back to the infirmary, as she looked exhausted. For once, Sam didn't argue.

* * *

_So . . . whaddaya think? Please let me know!_

_Beka_


	4. Offloading

_**Revelations - part 4**_

_The SJ shippiness really cranks up a notch in this chapter, so if it's not your thing, turn back now! Otherwise, I hope you like it.  
_

* * *

Sam woke up slowly, and just lay with her eyes shut for a long while before wrenching them open, as dried tears made them stick. 

"Deja-vu." She muttered, as once again Jack's head loomed over her.

"Hey. Again. How you feeling today?"

"What's been happening?" Sam slowly sat up. Jack sighed.

"The gate room's still pretty messed up, and I wouldn't put money on your beloved computer system still working in the control room. Of course I'm no expert . . ."

"I'll fix it." Sam said, simply. Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Have you seen the state that everything's in?"

"No, it was blocked off. Why?" Asked Sam nervously.

"Doc, is she free to go?" Jack called out to Janet.

"I don't see why not, but just don't overdo it, OK Sam?" Sam grinned.

"Wouldn't dream of it!" She slid off the bed, and after getting dressed, followed Jack out. He led her straight to the control room, where they found the way blocked by yellow tape and security guards standing one each side. Jack nodded to them, and they stood aside, as he and Sam ducked under the tape and started picking their way towards the stairs of the control room itself. When they reached the door, Sam gasped, and put a hand to her mouth. Jack watched her grimly. She nimbly stepped into the room, making her way round the shattered pieces of electrical equipment. _Kinsey's going to have a field day,_ she thought bitterly. She made her way to the window over-looking the gate room. There was no breath-taking view of the Stargate though; the blast doors were still down.

"The electrical surge melted the joints in the mechanism thingy." Jack mumbled, noticing her staring. Sam nodded, and her gaze swept over the ruined equipment and rubble. There was a look on her face that Jack hadn't seen before, and it scared him. She looked lost. He picked his way over to her, and stood facing her.

"Hey," he put his hands on her shoulders, "it'll be alright. It may take a while, but we can fix this." Sam nodded and looked distractedly to the side. Jack noticed that there seemed to be something else bothering her, and he tried again.

"Carter . . . Sam, what's wrong?" The tenderness and care in his voice brought tears to Sam's eyes, and she desperately blinked them away before answering.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it."

"It's not 'it' I'm worried about, it's my wonderful 2IC. The one I couldn't live without, remember?" Sam found tears in her eyes again at the memory of the Zatarc test, and her and Jack's confession, but she stubbornly pushed it all aside. That was one piece of heartache she could do without right now.

"Really sir, it's nothing you can help with. But thanks anyway." She was still avoiding his eye, and Jack could sense that she was aching for a release from whatever it was, so he studied her face closely, as if he could read there what 'it' was.

"It's that other bitch scientist isn't it?" Ah-ha. Finally he had hit the bulls-eye. Her head shot up, and she looked . . . _angry?_

"Don't call her that, sir, she doesn't deserve it." Jack's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Whatever happened to you? I thought you hated her!"

"I did, but I was wrong."

"Oh?" Jack looked slightly amused now. Sam frowned up at him.

"OK, we had a bad start, but she's had a rough time and to be fair, I was almost as bad as she was. I was prejudiced against her for the same reason that she was against me. We saw each other as rivals. And it was stupid."

"Carter, this isn't like you. So you feel guilty – can't see why personally – but it doesn't usually get you down this much. That job's taken by Daniel."

"There's more to it than you know about." Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" Sam looked down at the glass-ridden floor. She seemed to be struggling with something she wanted to say, but wasn't sure if she should. Making up her mind, she looked up.

"Sir, if I tell you something, will you promise not to tell another living soul until I've sorted it out myself?" Jack was slightly taken aback by her sincerity, and it made him nervous.

"Of course. You know you can trust me." Sam nodded, and stared down at her hands.

"Lauren Alcott is my sister." She said eventually. Jack didn't react for a second, and then shook his head disbelievingly.

"What?"

"It's true, she did the research, and she's my little sister. The only thing I don't understand is why Dad and Mark never told me."

"But . . . wouldn't you _know_ if you had a little sister?"

"She was kidnapped when I was two. When they realised she was gone for good, I guess it was easier for Mom and Dad to just pretend she never existed. So I never knew. I wish they'd told me though. I had a right to know, she's my sister."

"Maybe they thought she was really gone, and it would be easier for you not to know. No grieving to do."

"I guess." Sam shrugged. She still felt the need to stand up for Lauren for some reason, to defend her earlier actions. "She had a rough time growing up. She never got a chance at a real childhood, what with constantly moving between foster families, and the family that did finally adopt her . . . abused her." Sam took a long, steadying breath, trying not to think about how hard it must have been for Lauren to tell her that, when she realised how hard it was to tell Jack. Jack looked at her until she returned the favour, and then pulled her into a hug. Sam was grateful for the shelter his strong arms gave her, and she let herself be wrapped in them, feeling secure and safe. She closed her eyes, glad to have told someone the issues that had been torturing her mind since Lauren had told her everything. Jack just held her close, feeling very protective of the woman he loved so much, and hated to see suffer. Eventually, they pulled apart, and made that familiar silent promise, as they made their way back out of the deadened room.

* * *

_One more chapter done. Hope you liked it. PLEASE please please review! I know it's still a little . . . corny, but hey, some people like that stuff, don't they? _

_Beka_


	5. Forging bonds

_**Revelations - part 5**  
_

_And here's chapter 5! Okay, so it looks like closure, but wait! There will be more!  
_

* * *

_  
2 months later_

Sam and Lauren were sitting side by side on the sofa in Sam's living room, watching a trashy film and eating chocolate ice cream. They had become so close after discovering the truth about each other, that you'd think they'd grown up together and been as inseparable as best friends on the first day of high school. They had discovered so many common interests and even mutual friends in the scientific community; they had begun to wonder how the truth hadn't come out sooner.

Sam had been trying to encourage Lauren to apply for a job at the SGC, but after the incident that wiped out the control room and wrecked the gate room, she had been unwilling to 'impose herself on General Hammond any longer.' She had, however, stayed to help Sam set up the dialling computer again, and Sam was enthusiastic that their combined efforts had made it even more secure.

The SGC personnel still had their reservations about her, but no one could deny that she had tried the best she could and more to make up for her mistake, and with Sam on her side people were slowly coming round to her. She had been appointed the SGC's official representative in Washington DC as of the upcoming month, but neither Sam nor Becca was looking forward to the separation, so soon after they had found each other. Sam hadn't given up hope that she could change Lauren's mind about the SGC job.

As the film ended, Lauren sighed and laid her head on Sam's shoulder.

"What's up?" Sam asked. Lauren shrugged.

"I wish I didn't have to go." Sam turned round to face her, looking into her eyes earnestly.

"Then stay. I told you you'd be more than welcome. You could continue studying the greatest discovery in the modern world _and_ stick close to your only family."

"But . . . I'd just be in the way. And no one's going to forget that I blew everything up within 24 hours of seeing the thing for the first time!"

"Don't be silly. No one blames you for that."

"Liar."

"OK, maybe a few people do, but when I first met you, you didn't strike me as the type of person who'd give up if she didn't have universal popularity. And anyway, I'm sure I've made far worse mistakes during the six years I've been here."

"Yeah, right! But what would I do?"

"I _told_ you! Study artefacts that come through the gate, help the other scientists on different projects with the Stargate, there's a whole load of stuff you could do. And don't you dare tell anyone I said this, but you're the best scientist I've ever tried to recruit, and you don't make it to the short list unless I really think we need you, family or not." She finished, in the typical stubborn Carter fashion. Lauren smiled gratefully.

"Thanks, but . . ."

"But what?" Sam interrupted. "It all looks simple from where I'm sitting." Lauren gazed into the fire crackling in Sam's hearth. A part of her knew Sam was right, and she really wanted to give in and let Sam sign her up, but she couldn't get past the feeling that she was way out of her league.

"Hey, what person _is _qualified to work with alien technology." Sam commented, smiling. Lauren stared at her in amazement.

"I thought the exact same thing when I was offered the job on SG1." Sam explained, laughing at the look on Lauren's face. Lauren grinned.

"I guess I'm in then." Sam cheered and hugged her.

"You won't regret this!"

"I know I won't! Besides, what better way to meet fit blokes than to go and work in a mountain full of them!" Sam blushed and looked at her hands. A smile slowly crept over Lauren's face as she watched Sam's reaction.

"What?" She asked slowly.

"Nothing." Sam replied, _way_ too quickly.

"You've fallen for someone in there, haven't you?" Lauren pried, grinning now as she tried to figure out who it was.

"No, of course not." Sam said, trying desperately to sound convincing. It didn't work.

"You have! OK, so who is it?"

"Like I'm going to tell you!" Sam scoffed.

"Aww, come on, I'm your sister! Sisters are supposed to discuss their love lives. It's tradition!"

"I don't _have_ a love life! And anyway, it's against regulations."

"Aha!" Lauren said triumphantly. "So he's in SG1!"

"I never said that!" Said Sam, looking shocked and panicking.

"You didn't have to - I read the regs in the plane on the way over. Figured I might as well do something useful while I had spare time." Sam gaped at her open-mouthed.

"So, let's look over your list of team mates. Teal'c, Daniel Jackson, and Jack O'Neill. Now, for military regulations to apply, the other party would also have to be military, so, through the process of elimination, I can safely conclude that you are in love with Colonel Jack O'Neill. Your CO." Sam buried her head in a cushion in shame.

"OK, OK, you win, you got me, but please don't try setting me up or anything like that. I don't think I could stand it." Lauren just smiled.

"Would I?" She asked sweetly.

"I mean it Lauren! I could lose my job, or be court-martialled, or at the very worst have to face the fact that he doesn't give a toss about me and live with it. I couldn't take any of that."

"But you love him, Sam!"

"But nothing. It's not an option." Lauren looked carefully at Sam's stubborn, tightly closed face, and decided it was best not to press the subject. It didn't come up again at all for a very long time.

* * *

_Hope you liked it! There's more, so don't go anywhere!_

_ Beka_


	6. The new bad guys

_**Revelations - part 6**  
_

_Okay, here's the next bit! Hope the time jump doesn't give you whiplash - this is where I picked the story up recently, having written everything up to this point a couple of years ago. Enjoy!  
_

* * *

_5 years later_

"SG1 and 2, move out!" Jack's voice boomed in the gate room. He led SG1 through the gate first, leaving Colonel Samantha Carter to bring up the rear with her team. Lauren looked back at Sam from the top of the ramp, smiled and followed Daniel, Jack and Major Adam Tyler through the open wormhole.

Seconds later she emerged in a ship. _A ship?_ She turned round to see Sam and the rest of SG2 come through. Jack was walking cautiously forwards, P-90 out, ready.

"Well, this makes a change from trees." he muttered. Sam went to join him.

"I don't understand, the MALP showed a planet. With plants and trees and a cloudy sky."

"Wanna explain where we are then, Carter?" Jack quipped. Sam gave him a lost shrug.

"It isn't Goa'uld." Daniel called to them.

"I can see _that_ Daniel. Any other suggestions?"

Daniel frowned. "I've never see anything like it. And there's no writing to take a guess with."

"It may surprise you to learn, Daniel, that not every race in the galaxy feels the need to write on the walls. When was the last time you felt the urge?" Daniel gave him a sarcastic smile, but ignored the question, and went over to join Tyler, who was looking out of a window in the hull. SG2 were still standing by the gate, motionless.

Suddenly, there was a noisy rumbling, scraping sound as a door they hadn't noticed ground open. Sam, Jack and Tyler aimed their weapons as two aliens slid into the room.

"Son of a . . ." Tyler muttered, gaping at the creatures before him. Sam had gasped silently. Jack was gripping his P-90 a little tighter.

"Hello, my name's Daniel Jackson, we're peaceful explorers from Earth." Daniel began, looking uncertainly from the aliens to the three soldiers with guns. SG2 still hadn't moved.

The aliens were shorter than the humans, about four feet high, and were unlike anything the Earthlings had ever seen. Their skin was grey-blue in colour, and knobbly. Their clothes were a shiny silver material, full length robes that covered their feet – if they had them. The gliding movement they had entered with had suggested something else.

The shorter and uglier of the two cocked his head, and then spoke. It was unlike anything Daniel or any of the others had ever heard – a screeching sound that attacked their eardrums till Jack had dropped his P-90 and was cradling his ears on the floor with the others.

Finally it stopped. Jack raised his head slowly, blinking to restore his vision which had blacked out in the pain. Squinting, he saw Sam lying quite still on the floor to his right. A groan from his left told him Tyler was conscious. Lauren and Daniel were both out cold behind him. SG2 were standing stock still by the gate. Jack frowned at them, and then turned to the aliens, who were fiddling with devices on their jackets.

"What have you done to them?" He demanded hoarsely, jerking his thumb in the direction of SG2. The aliens continued fiddling with their devices. Sighing, Jack sat up properly, and scooted over to Sam.

"Carter. Carter! Wake up!" She remained still. He shook her roughly.

"Sam!" Suddenly she flicked her eyes open, then groaned and shut them quickly, before squinting up at him.

"What happened? That noise . . ."

"It knocked us all down, and you, Daniel and Lauren were all unconscious. Tyler stuck with it. Just."

Sam sat up, slowly. "My team . . . ?"

"Weird. Very weird. They've done something to them, I'm sure." Jack said, looking starkly at the aliens, who had stopped playing with their devices and were whispering excitedly to one another. Then they glided over to Jack and Sam, and yanked both to their feet with surprising strength. Sam stumbled, having only just woken up, and Jack steadied her.

"Thanks."

"No problem." They smiled slightly at each other, then as one turned to face the aliens.

The shortest one stood facing Jack, and stated: "He is satisfactory."

Jack blinked. "Excuse me?"

The taller one (or 'Short' as Jack had christened him – the other one was 'Shorter') studied Sam. "Yes. I said they would be."

Sam shifted uncomfortably and glanced at Jack, who was looking just as uneasy.

"What the hell do you mean by 'satisfactory', and what was that noise before, _and_ what have you done to our people back there?" Jack asked furiously.

"They are not required." Shorter replied, in answer to Jack's last question. "Take them to their cell." He added to Short. Short gave a small bow and twiddled a knob on his device. He then turned to SG1 and Sam and opened his mouth, the deafening, ear-splitting sound coming from it as though he was speaking. This time not even Tyler and Jack could stand it. All five were lying on the floor, out cold.

* * *

_Evil bad guys have kidnapped SG-1!_ _Mwa-ha-ha-haaaaaa. Please please please review!_

_  
__Beka _


	7. Prisoners

_**Revelations - part 7**_

_Sorry about the delay -- computer trouble! Here's chapter 7. Hope you like it!_

* * *

Sam became dimly aware of someone stroking her cheek, and whispering her name. Opening her eyes a crack, she managed to focus on Lauren's face above her own, smiling grimly.

"Ow." Sam muttered. She sat up slowly, and saw Daniel being poked awake by Jack on the other side of the cell. Tyler was leaning against a wall with his eyes closed, rubbing his temples.

"You OK?" Lauren asked her.

"Yeah, fine. Where are we?"

"Dunno. We all passed out this time, so we have no way of knowing where we are in relation to the 'gate. Jack's dead depressed about it."

Sam crawled over to the three men on the other side of the room, Lauren following. She stopped beside Tyler, and sat next to him, with Jack and Daniel in front of her. Lauren settled on her other side.

"You OK, Tyler?" Sam asked, touching the young man's arm to get his attention. He opened his eyes, and turned his head to look at her.

"Yeah, I'll live. Blacking out doesn't really agree with me."

"I know how you feel." Sam replied grimly. "Daniel?"

"I'm good." the archaeologist said a little more brightly than he felt.

Jack stood up suddenly. "Carter, a word?"

"Sure." she said, knowing exactly what this was going to be about. He ushered her over to the other side of the cell, and then, facing away from the others spoke in undertones.

"Look. I know I don't exactly out-rank you anymore, but, well, strictly speaking I'm the superior officer. Which means I call the shots."

Sam gave an exasperated sigh. "Have I ever challenged your authority?"

"No," Jack said slowly, "but I just need to know we're clear. This being the first time we've been off-world together since your promotion."

Sam looked him straight in the eye, and said something she'd been meaning to say ever since that promotion. "Sir, everyone knows you should have had one too. You've more than earned it, and if it wasn't for Kinsey picking holes in exactly the right places you would have got one as deserved."

Jack considered giving her a cold reply making it clear he didn't need her sympathy, but swallowed it. He couldn't be mean to Sam. He'd only hate himself for it, and she meant every word of it. He could always tell. Instead he gave her a small nod, and a shadow of a smile.

"Drop the 'sir', Carter."

Both of them spun round as a door somewhere could be heard grating open, and Shorter appeared at their cell's door. Jack marched right up to the bars, and looked down at him menacingly.

"You have made one BIG mistake buddy."

Shorter cocked his head. "Interesting. The reaction of one who is trapped, feeling vulnerable. Sparks different emotions in each." He commented, his eyes taking in each of them.

"What do you want?" asked Daniel, walking up to where Jack was standing. The alien regarded him for a moment before answering.

"The specimens should ask what is wanted of them? Now this I hadn't predicted!"

"What do you mean, 'specimens'?" demanded Sam.

"The quest for knowledge and understanding of the situation. They fear that which they do not understand." Shorter chirped, clearly enjoying avoiding their questions.

"Sir, may I make a suggestion?" Tyler asked Jack, standing. Jack gestured for the five of them to gather away from the bars.

"He obviously isn't interested in answering our questions, and he seems to enjoy annoying us and stirring emotions, so what better way to convince them we mean business than to ignore them? They lose their fuel for fun, and we look like much less interesting 'specimens'."

"That's all very well, Adam, but do we want to look uninteresting? Look what they did to SG2." Lauren reasoned.

"Yeah, Jack, she's right – I don't fancy having the wits knocked out of me when they lose interest." said Daniel.

"But Tyler has got a point," Sam added, "asking questions is getting us nowhere, and they don't appear to think us worthy of answers. They call us 'specimens' and treat us like lab rats. I'd say we were some kind of twisted experiment, and they're gonna push us as right to the edge to find out what makes us tick."

Jack looked miserably round at his team, finding that they too thought what Sam had said made sense. He had never in his life hoped so much that she was wrong. He glanced at Tyler.

"Any more bright ideas?" Tyler shrugged, and tried his best not to feel sheepish in front of his two superior officers, and Lauren. Oh yeah, and there was Daniel.

"So, what do we do now? Just sit around and wait for those two to experiment on us?" Daniel asked sarcastically. Sam and Jack disappeared in a flash of light.

"Never mind." Daniel muttered.

* * *

_As usual, please please please review! I wanna know how I'm doing! My muse is going hungry! _

_Beka_


	8. Lab rats

_**Revelations - part 8**_

_And here is chapter 8! The shippyness rears it's head a little in this chapter, but only a little - the big stuff comes later . . . _**  
**

* * *

Jack nearly jumped in surprise when his scenery suddenly changed from a cell containing five people to a different cell containing two. He instinctively looked all around for sign of the others, but it was only him and Sam. Instead he turned to Sam, with a look of trust and expectancy that she could explain this. She just shrugged and shook her head, completely non-plussed.

"Well." said Jack. There seemed to be nothing else to say. They were stuck. At the mercy of these aliens. There was not a thing they could do, but wait. He sat down, moodily. Sam followed suit. They sat like that for ages, neither knowing what to do or say, just waiting. Finally, something happened. It got cold. Very cold, very quickly.

"Oh, for cryin' out loud!" Jack exclaimed wildly, shivering. Sam, suddenly wishing they could go back to the waiting, said shakily:

"This must be the next experiment."

"What, to see who would last the longest? They could tell that just by looking at us. Any fool can see I've got more good old insulation than you." He retorted sarcastically. Then something inside him clicked. He looked at Sam, sitting hunched up a few feet away from him, shivering violently. He wasn't going to let them get away with this. If they wanted to kill them, they'd have a fight on their hands.

"Com' 'ere." he said, shuffling over to Sam. She hesitated for a moment, but then allowed him to wrap his arms round her as she leaned into him. Almost instantly she felt the warmth of his body against hers, and felt his warming breath in her ear. She closed her eyes, and bit back a sigh as she imagined what this could be like if they weren't freezing to death. Just being this close to him gave her shivers that had nothing to do with cold.

Jack closed his eyes, and hugged Sam closer, forgetting for a moment their military positions and wanting just to protect her, and keep her safe in his arms, where he knew she belonged. If only. If only.

Half an hour passed and it got gradually colder, till neither Sam nor Jack could feel their limbs, but simply trusted that they were still there wrapped around each other. Jack watched, frozen, as Sam's face grew stiff and blue, her breath less and less steady and regular.

"Hang in there, Sam." he whispered. She opened her eyes, and just looked at him for a moment.

"Sorry sir." He frowned, or at least would have, had he been able to feel his face.

"For what?"

"I can't do it. I can't beat them, I . . . I can't . . ." she broke off, her voice and breath failing her.

"Sam!" Jack said urgently, trying to give her a little shake. She couldn't give up now, she was stronger than that, she had to be. Her eyes filled with tears as she watched him try to encourage her.

"Not this time Jack." she managed to get out, as her body gave in to the freezing cold and pain, and her eyes fluttered shut. Jack cried out her name as loud as he could, if he could only get her to open her eyes, but his own were almost closing . . .

A few minutes later, Jack opened his eyes, which had become encrusted with the tears that had frozen on the lids, to find the room was glowing. It was warming up. He looked down at Sam, and with a lurch realised she wasn't breathing.

"Sam, Sam! Come, on, don't leave me now!" he muttered desperately. Suddenly, she started coughing. Jack, who had been preparing to give her CPR, started in surprise, and then cheered.

"Way to go, Carter!" He patted her on the back as she coughed and spluttered, until finally she could regain her breath.

"Jack?" she panted. He grinned.

"No such thing as 'can't', Carter." She chuckled breathlessly, and sat back against him, exhausted for some reason.

"What the hell happened?" she gasped. He rubbed her shoulders thoughtfully.

"Maybe they didn't _actually_ want to kill us."

"But, we warmed up so quickly! It can't be healthy! Unless . . ." she stopped, thinking. Jack peered round into her face.

"Unless what?"

"The glowing . . . you know, this could be some kind of sarcophagus."

"Yeah, sure, a sarcophagus that freezes you to literal death before doing any good."

"We have no reason to believe that this isn't extremely advanced compared to the Goa'uld's version and can be used for a huge number of purposes."

"Sam, you just _died!_ For God's sake let that brain have some rest and stop theorising." Sam smiled and closed her eyes, letting her head lean back against his chest.

"Yes sir."

* * *

Tyler paced nervously. He knew that as the only military trained officer around he ought to be trying to think of a plan, a way of finding the Colonels and getting out of here, but his mind remained annoyingly blank.

"Lauren – what do you think happened to SG-2? Is it that they're dead, or just, I dunno, stunned or something?" Asked Tyler.

"I don't know. I don't think they were dead, but I think they're gone. Why, you don't think that's happened to Sam and Jack?"

"I hope not." Tyler ran his hands through his hair nervously. Lauren looked at Daniel, who was sitting staring into space, frowning.

"What you thinking?" Daniel frowned up at her.

"That noise – the one they knocked us out with – it reminds me of something Teal'c once mentioned." Lauren started in shock. She hadn't heard Daniel, Jack or Sam talk about Teal'c since he'd been killed three years ago. She sat down beside him, curious.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, he said that the system lord Vésu was once attacked by creatures whose 'voices brought sleep'."

"What happened?" Asked Lauren. Daniel was thinking again.

"Daniel?"

"Hmm?"

"What happened to Vésu?"

"Oh, he lost a number of his jaffa – they just vanished in a flash of bright light – and then the attack stopped."

"You think it could have been these creatures scavenging for test subjects?" Prodded Tyler. Daniel shrugged.

"It makes sense – the voice, the flash of light when Sam and Jack disappeared . . ." Daniel trailed off as Sam and Jack reappeared as suddenly as they'd gone.

"Sam!" Lauren hugged her sister, who was looking shaken.

"Hi guys!" Jack said brightly.

"Sir! You're back, where did you go?" Tyler asked. Jack glanced at Sam, who had been released from Lauren's hold.

"Some kind of lab. Or rather the rats' cage in the lab."

"You mean you were experimented on?" Said Lauren in horror.

"In a manner of speaking." Replied Sam.

"What happened?" Asked Daniel.

"Well, we waited around for a couple of hours, froze to death and got the old sarcophagus treatment." Jack informed him, sitting down heavily.

"Froze to death?"

"Sarcophagus?"

"It's only _possible_ that it was a sarcophagus, I'm not absolutely sure." Said Sam.

"It brought you back to life, Carter! I was about to start CPR for cryin' out loud!"

"God, Sam, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Lauren." There was an uncomfortable pause, which Jack broke miserably.

"Anyone got any ideas on getting us outta here?" Everyone avoided his eye and stared despondently at the stone floor.

"We just have to wait. That's all we can do." Sam said quietly.

"Carter . . ." Jack began, but he broke off when he saw her face. She was right.

* * *

_Ta da! Please review, my muse is still hungry . . . _

_Beka_


	9. Reliving nightmares

_**Revelations - part 9**_

_Be warned - this chapter refers again to Lauren's rape. If it's going to offend you, or you're too young to be reading such nasty stories, please please please skip this chapter. I promise there's nothing else of consequence that you'll miss. _

* * *

The next time the flash came it took Lauren and Tyler. They jumped at the sudden change in scenery, as they found themselves in what appeared to be a bedroom.

"Interesting." Tyler commented, looking around. Having taken in his surroundings, he turned back to Lauren, and was shocked to see her shaking.

"Lauren, what's up?" He asked, concerned for her. She dragged her eyes away from the bed, and asked:

"D'you think they can read minds, or memories maybe?"

Tyler frowned. "I dunno. They seemed to know what we're feeling, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they're mind readers. Why?"

Lauren looked at the bed with dread. "Because this is the bedroom I had in my adopted family's house."

As she said those words, there was another flash, and Tyler found himself chained to the wall, helpless to act as he watched a huge, drunken man grab Lauren and force her onto the bed.

Lauren screamed in terror. She knew what was about to happen, she'd had nightmares about it so often that she could time it to the second. She tried to fight but found her body had become that of the twelve year-old she was when it happened. Tyler's yells seemed to fade away into nothing, as she lived through her nightmare again.

* * *

Sam had begun pacing, praying that Lauren was alright, and that the sarcophagus – or indeed whatever it was – would revive her if she couldn't stand the cold either.

"Sam, are you alright?" Daniel stood up and approached her. Sam stopped pacing.

"What if she doesn't make it? She hasn't been trained to withstand the cold; or what if the sarcophagus doesn't work on her?"

"You're assuming they're going to have the same 'test' as we did." Jack commented from the floor.

"What else could they do to them?" Sam asked exasperatedly.

"Heat them to death?" Daniel offered, immediately regretting it. "I'm sure they'll be fine, Sam. Lauren's tough, and Adam's even tougher." Sam nodded and sat down next to Jack, still unconvinced.

* * *

The bedroom disappeared, leaving Lauren lying on the floor of the square cell Sam and Jack had been in. Tyler yanked at his chains, and they too disappeared. He dropped to the floor at Lauren's side.

"Lauren? Loz, are you alright?" Lauren was lying with her eyes tight shut, sobbing and shaking violently. Tyler stroked her face and called her name again in a broken voice. Still she sobbed with her eyes closed, and still she shook so terribly. Tyler cursed and scooped her gently up, just holding her in his arms.

Twenty minutes later, the sobbing and shaking had subsided a little, and she was breathing unsteadily and gulping as you do after crying. After a while Tyler eased her down onto his lap, and freed one hand to wipe the tear-stains from her face. She finally opened her eyes, though Tyler wished she hadn't, for the broken, haunted look in them broke his heart.

"Lauren . . ." He whispered, wishing he could comfort her, or relieve her pain. Her eyes were begging him to do just that. Unable to cope with it, he held her close to him, trying desperately to protect her from her memories. She buried her face in his body, with no energy left to cry, and just rested in his safe arms. Then the flash came.

* * *

It took Sam a few seconds to register her sister lying broken in Adam's arms, and when it did she gave a small cry and fell at her side.

"Lauren!" She cried desperately, willing her to respond, but getting no reply. Jack tried talking to Tyler, but he seemed to have shut himself off, and was just holding Lauren tight with his eyes closed. Daniel felt Lauren's wrist for a pulse, and nodded to Sam when he found one. She breathed a sigh of relief and tried to take her from Tyler, but he wouldn't let go.

"Tyler, it's OK, you're both safe now. Let Lauren go." Jack said, trying to ease Tyler's arms away.

"Adam . . ." Sam pleaded, her eyes filled with tears. Finally he looked at her, and released Lauren to her.

Lauren, feeling the movement of Adam letting her go, opened her eyes to see Sam kneeling beside her.

"Sam . . ." She whispered, before Sam held her as Adam had, both crying quietly in each other's arms. Sam realised what must have happened, and it broke her heart to think that Lauren had gone through that again.

Jack and Daniel watched, completely stunned and shocked. Neither had the slightest clue what could have happened to make two of the toughest women they knew cry like that. Jack looked at Adam, trying to get a clue as to what was going on.

Adam was in shock, and was just staring ahead without seeing a thing. Jack had to get in front of him and physically shake him to get his attention.

"Tyler, are you alright?" Adam stared at him for a moment, disorientated.

"Not really sir, no." Jack regarded him for a second, before saying:

"What the hell happened back there?" Adam looked over to Lauren, who was clinging to Sam like a child, both still crying.

"Colonel Carter knows . . . that means it must really have happened before . . . God knows how she coped."

"Adam, what happened before? I know you're in shock but I need to know what happened."

"Sir, it was horrible, these aliens are pigs. They're worse than pigs, they're . . . sir, she was raped, I think by her adopted father. God knows how old she must have been . . ." Adam's voice broke, and Jack recalled something Sam had said to him five years ago:

"_. . . the family that did finally adopt her . . . abused her."_ Jack suddenly felt very sick, and he sat back beside Adam as they watched the sisters together in silence.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! Sorry for the delay between chapters, my user area started doing strange things. Like not working._

_Hope you liked it, please please review! _

_Beka_


	10. Ultimatum

_**Revelations - part 10**_

_Here's chapter 10! Teal'c's (is that spelt right?) absence is explained . . . sort of. It'll be done more fully a bit later. Please R&R  
_

* * *

  
The door grated open again, and the pair of aliens entered. Lauren was asleep in Sam's arms, and Daniel and Tyler were sleeping as well against the wall of the cell. Sam was staring at the wall opposite her, stroking Lauren's hair and unaware that Jack was watching her. When they saw the aliens, they both made a move as though to lunge at them, but were paralysed somehow by Shorter's device on his jacket, and could do nothing but sit and tremble with rage.

"You!" Jack yelled. "You are the lowest, most sick, most repulsive and disgusting animals ever in existence!"

Shorter cocked his head. "Fascinating. We replay events their own race incurred, and they blame the observers."

"You heartless beasts! She was twelve for God's sake!" Sam yelled, angry to the core. There was another flash, and Daniel disappeared, along with the aliens. Jack locked eyes with Sam, who gave a helpless and exasperated shrug and looked down at her sleeping sister.

* * *

Daniel woke up in the square cell, and immediately started looking for an exit. Finding none, he gave up and sank back to the floor in a depressed acceptance of the situation.

"I am sorry, Daniel Jackson." Daniel jumped to his feet and looked wildly around.

"Teal'c?" He called out, sure that it was his dead friend's voice he had heard.

"I should have warned you of these creatures sooner." Said Teal'c, materialising in the room. Daniel regarded him warily, aware that this was probably another experiment.

"You did." He said simply, trying not to give the aliens any material to work with.

"Yet I did not tell you the planet from which they had come." Teal'c said, looking uncannily real to Daniel.

"Look, I know that you're just an image from my memory, so why don't you just give up? I'm not going to have a conversation with you as if you were really here, so your experiment's screwed up."

"You wish me to leave because you cannot bear to see me. You still feel guilt for my death. You, O'Neill and Colonel Carter all do." These words struck a nerve in Daniel, but he tried not to show it, and just sat back down with his eyes closed.

"Ignoring me will not make the pain you feel go away, Daniel Jackson."

"You're not real."

"Maybe not, but your memories of me, and of what you did, are very real." There was a flash, and Daniel saw again the image from his nightmares which he knew Sam and Jack shared, of Teal'c dying in agony, looking them all in the eye before succumbing to the pain and losing his life, as they all stood and watched in horror. Daniel shut his eyes tight and yelled.

"No!" When he opened them again he was back in the cell with Teal'c. He looked his friend in the eye with regret.

"We tried everything. There was nothing we could do."

"And yet you all still have vivid nightmares about watching me die. You all feel it should have been yourselves, and not me, despite knowing that this was the only way it could have happened." Daniel stood up angrily, and walked up to the image of his friend.

"No. I know who you are and I'm not playing your games anymore."

* * *

There was a flash, and Daniel reappeared in the chamber, looking shaken. Lauren was sitting on the floor between Sam and Adam, her head on Sam's shoulder. Jack, who had been sitting opposite the other three, stood up when he saw Daniel.

"Daniel, you alright?" Daniel nodded despondently and sat down heavily.

"Daniel?" Sam said quietly, worried about what he might have been through. He sighed.

"I saw Teal'c, or a projection of him from my memory, anyway." Both Jack and Sam shifted uncomfortably. "They sent me back when I made it clear I wasn't playing their mind games." He finished. The five of them sat in silence for a while, all exhausted and helpless.

The next flash took all of them.

* * *

The five found themselves standing in some kind of courtroom, before a panel of the short ugly aliens.

"Alright!" Jack yelled. "We know you don't give a toss about our rights as people, so whatever it is you're gonna do, just do it!" The alien Jack called 'Shorter', who seemed to be in charge, smiled.

"We have studied you all, especially your worst memories and most powerful feelings. We have learnt much. Now you must face and talk about all of your feelings relating to your experiences, or you will no longer be needed."

"Like SG2." Daniel muttered bitterly.

* * *

_And the saga goes on . . . Hope you liked it!_ _The really shippy conversations are coming up soon . . . Please keep reviewing, I just LOVE reading them!  
_

_Beka_


	11. Soul searching

_**Revelations - part 11**_

_Here's chapter 11! Enjoy!_

* * *

Back in the cell, they all sat in depressed silence. They were told they had ten minutes to think about it before being taken to 'talk'.

"What're we gonna do?" Tyler asked eventually.

"Doesn't seem like we have much choice." Lauren commented thickly.

"If we don't do what they want we'll end up like the rest of my team." Sam said quietly, thinking about each of them and suddenly feeling an urge to just give up and cry.

"I say we just do what we each think we can. Some of us have been through worse than others," Jack paused, glancing at Lauren, "but I think they meant it when they said we wouldn't be needed if we don't talk. They wouldn't have any more material to work with."

"But what if we do talk? Do we spend the rest of our lives here?" Daniel asked. There was a long pause.

"I guess if we don't try we'll never know." Lauren said quietly.

There was a flash, and Sam and Lauren disappeared. Jack and Adam looked up sharply, then sank into their own thoughts alongside Daniel.

* * *

Sam and Lauren looked at each other helplessly.

"What now?" Lauren asked.

"I suppose we're supposed to talk." Sam replied.

They stood holding each other's gaze for a long moment. Sam could still see the outlines of tears on Lauren's face, and the shadow of her past in her eyes. Lauren could tell Sam was on the verge of tears. She'd been pushed to the edge today, losing her whole team, dying with Jack, and then there was Jack himself – her secret but terrible heartache which she stubbornly refused to address.

Lauren walked slowly towards her sister, her eyes clouded with tears. She stood close to Sam, and then they hugged each other close. They both cried bitterly, clinging to each other for support, crying for everything that had happened – for Lauren's rape, for the death of Teal'c, for their lost family, for SG2, for their respective love lives, for everything that day which had exhausted them both.

They sat down together, arms locked around each other, until they'd cried all they could. They both felt empty and weak, despair eating at their souls.

"You have to tell him, Sam." Lauren whispered.

"I can't."

"You can, and you have to. They'll kill you if you don't."

"I don't know how. It's been too long." Lauren stroked Sam's hair tenderly.

"Just tell him how you feel. Either you tell him you love him now or you both die never admitting it; and I can't lose you again. It would kill me."

"You've got Adam."

"What do you mean?"

"Loz, I know how you feel about him."

"How do I feel about him?"

"The same way that I feel about Jack." Lauren sighed.

"Maybe."

"There's no maybe about it. He loves you, and I know you love him."

"Then I guess we've both got some 'fessing up to do." Lauren said, sighing.

"Are you alright, Lauren?" Sam asked, concerned.

"I'll live."

"I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through."

"I hope you never have to. I love you Sam, and if anything ever happened to you I don't know how I'd cope." There was a pause, as they both thought about what they had to do.

"We'll be alright." Sam said reassuringly. "Whatever happens, we'll be alright." Lauren smiled at her, and with a flash they were back.

* * *

"Sam!" Jack just had time to say before he and Adam disappeared in the flash.

Sam and Lauren held each other's hands tightly. Daniel scooted over to them, frowning.

"Are you two alright?" Sam nodded mutely.

"We talked, so I guess the aliens are happy." Lauren explained. "How about you?"

"We've just been waiting for you two to get back. We figured we wouldn't need to 'talk' until we were taken. Not that I'm that sure what they really want to hear." Daniel added, frowning.

"I think it's probably mainly to do with our secrets." Lauren said. Daniel raised his eyebrows.

"Secrets?"

"Sam and Jack." She said simply. Sam looked down at her hands, feeling Daniel's eyes on her.

"Because the two of you are a pair of idiots who refuse to admit you're in love?" Daniel asked. Sam's head shot up in surprise.

"You _knew_?"

"Don't sound so surprised. I have worked with the pair of you for the last ten years, and I'm not blind. Well, not much." He grinned, brandishing his glasses. Sam allowed herself a smile.

"It's Lauren and Adam too." She said defensively.

"Yes, well, any fool can see that." Daniel said offhandedly.

"What do you mean?" Lauren asked defiantly.

"Come on, Lauren, you two are like a couple of love-sick puppies. I've never met such flirters!"

"I don't flirt!" Lauren argued, grinning coyly.

"Do."

"Don't."

"Do."

_Flash_.

* * *

"Sam, Daniel." Jack greeted his friends. The three of them were alone in the square cell.

"Looks like you two were taken and only Tyler was sent back." He commented.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"Teal'c." Daniel and Jack answered in unison. The three of them sat in thoughtful silence for a moment.

"What did you and Tyler talk about?" Daniel asked eventually.

"Lauren." Jack answered simply. "How is she, by the way?"

"Coping." Sam answered. "She's trying to deal with it by ignoring it."

"That never works." Jack said.

"Damn right." Daniel agreed, giving the two of them a meaningful look. They chose to ignore it.

"Tyler's in love with your sister." Jack told Sam, not really looking at her.

"I know, and she's in love with him. We were just talking about that before we were taken away." She said. There was an awkward silence, in which all three were thinking about the one thing Sam and Jack wouldn't admit to.

"We couldn't have done anything differently." Daniel said eventually, breaking the silence.

"Huh?" Said Sam and Jack, not following the change of topic.

"Teal'c." Daniel explained.

"Do you two have nightmares about it too?" Asked Sam quietly, aware that this was the first time they'd talked about it since it had happened.

"Yep." Jack answered. Daniel nodded glumly. They sat in silence for a few more moments before Jack beat his fists on the ground in angry frustration and stood up.

"We should have been able to stop it!" He shouted in frustration. Daniel sighed and leant back against the wall. Sam looked down and closed her eyes, trying to block out the image of Teal'c dying in agony in her mind.

"Daniel's right, Jack. There was nothing we could do." She said quietly.

"Don't give me that! Of course we could have done something! It was our fault! He died in agony and it was all our fault!" He yelled at her, not angry with her, but taking it out on her because she was an easy target. Sam bit her lips, trying desperately not to cry.

"I know." She whispered, her voice failing her. Jack kicked himself mentally. He'd felt guilty enough before but now he felt worse for hurting the person closest to him. He sat down next to her, and offered her a hug.

"I'm sorry, Sam. I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm just angry with myself." She looked up at him, with his arms still outstretched, and gratefully relaxed into them, closing her eyes and trying to find some peace in the warmth of his protective arms. Jack looked at Daniel despairingly.

"How the hell are we supposed to deal with this?"

Daniel shrugged in defeat. "I have no idea. Ignoring it hasn't really worked though, has it."

Jack held Sam closer, and she watched Daniel from the security of Jack's arms, tears rolling down her cheeks. She shuddered as she thought about their dead friend, and Jack looked down at her.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked, frowning.

"Not really." Sam answered. "I mean, my entire team is dead. Just gone, meaninglessly." She scrunched up her face to hold back a sob. Jack held her closer and leant his head against her soft blonde hair.

"You know that – when they take just you two – you have GOT to talk, don't you?" Daniel said, looking at the two of them seriously.

Sam closed her eyes and hid her face in Jack's chest. Jack nodded silently.

"I mean it guys. I _know_ how hard it will be after all these years, but you don't have a choice here."

"We know, Daniel." Jack answered. "No more secrets." Daniel nodded, satisfied, and Jack buried his face in Sam's hair, eyes closed in defeat.

_Flash  
_

* * *

_ S&J and L&A conversations coming up next . . . keep on reviewing!  
_

_Beka _


	12. Confessions

_**Revelations - part 12**_

_Crunch time! What will be revealed . . .?  
_

* * *

  
Lauren and Tyler were sitting together in a similar way to Sam and Jack when the three original SG-1 members reappeared. None of them moved. They just looked at each other in their varying levels of pain, resigned to their fate. Lauren's eyes filled with tears as she her gaze met Sam's, and she saw that Sam was crying.

Tyler, deeply unnerved at the sight of the head-strong colonel crying in his boss's arms, looked to Jack for answers.

"What now, sir?" Jack held his gaze wearily for a moment.

"I don't know Tyler."

"I'm guessing we don't have to talk right now. I mean, as we're not in the lab." Daniel offered.

Lauren extracted herself from Adam's protective hold and knelt in front of her sister.

"Sam?"

Sam took a shaky breath in and out. "I'm okay." She said, very unconvincingly. Lauren sat down on her other side, and Sam relaxed back between her sister and the man she loved, closing her eyes as she did so.

_Flash_

* * *

Lauren and Adam materialised in the cell, sitting across from one another. They sighed in unison as they looked at each other sadly.

"I love you Lauren." Adam stated simply. "That's what they brought me here to say, so I'm saying it now. I love you."

Lauren nodded, too exhausted to cry anymore. "I love you too."

Adam scooted across the room to her, and held her gently. "I want to help you get through all of this. I'll do whatever it takes. I'll leave SG-1 if I have to, maybe I can get a position on your sister's team." He whispered.

Lauren pulled back and looked into his eyes. "Thank you." She whispered sincerely. Adam gave her a bittersweet smile, and slowly, they drew together and kissed, very gently and lovingly. They broke apart just as slowly, looked into each other's eyes once again, and just sat there, holding each other close.

_Flash_

* * *

Sam and Jack disappeared as Lauren and Adam returned to the holding cell, still holding each other. Daniel smiled sadly at them. "You two talked?" He asked.

Lauren smiled slightly. "Yeah." Adam kissed her on the forehead briefly, as silent understanding passed between them and Daniel. All they had to do now was wait and hope for Sam and Jack.

* * *

Sam was still in Jack's arms when they were transported to the 'talking' room. Jack gave her a supportive squeeze. "Guess this is it then." He said.

"Guess it is." She replied.

Very unwillingly, Jack let go of Sam and pulled away to look at her properly. She met his gaze unhappily.

"So." She offered.

"So." Jack replied.

"So this is the part where I tell you how much I love you, and that I haven't told you in all these years because of the regulations and because I was scared you didn't feel the same, and then you tell me that was stupid, and then we kiss passionately before falling crying into each other's arms and live happily ever after." Sam blurted out.

"Is it?" Jack asked uncertainly.

"Apparently." Sam answered. "Frankly if I thought it was that simple I'd probably have inflicted this conversation on you years ago."

"Yep." Jack sighed.

"So why isn't it?"

"Huh?"

"Why isn't it that simple?" Sam asked. Jack looked at her thoughtfully.

"I don't know."

"Really?"

"Well, no, I think I do know."

"And?"

"It's because I know you could do so much better than me. I'm old and grumpy, and not much to look at. When I'm in a bad mood I lash out at everyone, you included, and I'm capable of some pretty terrible things. I know there have been times when you have been shocked at me for doing something you wouldn't dream of. I have so many issues, most of which you don't have a clue about, and the truth is we'd be doomed from the start. My past would rip us both apart." He finished, avoiding her eye.

Sam looked at her hands uncomfortably. "What if I don't care?" She asked.

Jack looked at her oddly. "What?"

"What if I don't care about all those things? What if I can help you? What if I'm the one person who can stop you hating yourself so much, and help you get over your crappy past?"

He just kept looking at her sadly. Sam tried again.

"What if I need you to help me get over mine?" She whispered, a tear falling down her cheek.

Jack still looked at her. "We'd drive each other crazy." He said.

"Maybe." She smiled. "Maybe not. Maybe we've been driving each other crazy for years and the only way we're not going to end up hating each other is if we admit it."

"Admit that we're in love?" Jack asked.

Sam blinked, shocked to silence for a moment by Jack actually admitting his feelings. "Yeah." She said.

"It wouldn't be against regulations anymore." Jack said, more to himself than to Sam.

"Nope." She agreed.

"Maybe we waited too long."

"Stop making excuses." She admonished him, irritated. "Or do you really want me to back off?"

"No!" Jack protested.

"No." He added more quietly. "I just think there are so many things that could go wrong, and if we really want to make a go of this, we need to take things slowly."

Sam smiled grimly, and held out her hand to Jack. He looked at her lovingly, and took it in his own. "That's fine by me." She said.

_Flash_

* * *

_Ta da! What do you think? Please review! There's imaginary cake on offer!_

_Beka_

* * *


	13. Home again

_**Revelations - part 13**_

_SG-1 goes home . . .  
_

* * *

  
After that last flash of the transporter, SG-1 and Colonel Carter were held in a kind of suspension for a moment, as they heard the sadistic aliens' voices.

"Thank you for your time. You have been most interesting specimens to study."

With the conclusion of the transport, SG-1 and Sam found themselves standing in the gate-room, the bodies of SG-2 at their feet. The klaxons went off automatically, and Sam sank to her knees, shocked to silence by the bodies of her team. Her friends. She took her 2IC's hand in her own, as she gazed in wordless grief at his lifeless face.

Someone called for a med-team, and General Hammond burst into the room, his quick eyes jumping from the bodies of three of his men, to Colonel Carter, to the heart-sick and defeated looks on the faces of SG-1.

"Colonel O'Neill, what the HELL happened?" He barked.

Jack flinched. "Long story sir."

"Give me the short version!" Hammond ordered. Daniel stepped in to save Jack.

"We were captured by an advanced species, sir. They, uh, _experimented_ on us, psychologically. They killed SG-2 because they didn't think they were interesting enough test-subjects."

The medical team rushed in, lifting the three bodies onto gurneys. Sam rose with them, still holding her 2IC's limp hand.

"Sam . . . " Lauren said softly. "Let them go."

Sam released Major Ward's hand, and watched despondently as the three men were wheeled away. Lauren approached her and pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back soothingly.

General Hammond was at his wits' end. "All five of you go straight to the infirmary, and tell Doctor Fraiser _exactly_ what happened. I'll be down in an hour for a full report."

He strode out of the room, leaving the exhausted team standing alone.

* * *

The five of them sat on separate beds, as a gaggle of nurses and doctors swarmed around them, checking their blood pressure, pulse, reflexes, . . .

They all just sat and stared ahead blankly, lost in thought. Janet Fraiser was at her wits end trying to get a clear answer out of any of them. Daniel told her what had happened, being the least distracted or traumatised of them all. Janet was shocked to silence when she heard about Lauren, and gazed at the young woman in sympathy. She seemed to be holding up, but then she and Sam hadn't really said anything since coming in.

"Lauren?" Janet approached her apprehensively. "You okay?"

"What?" Lauren said, startled out of her thoughts. "Yeah, I'm alright."

She was barely focussing, clearly lost in the past. Janet frowned and squeezed her hand.

"I think you're all in shock. I'm going to recommend a good night's sleep, and a decent meal. I can give you a sedative to help you sleep." Lauren nodded vaguely, and lay back on the bed. Adam turned to watch from the bed next to her, and locked eyes with her for a moment before Lauren drifted off to sleep.

General Hammond strode into the room, and approached Janet. "Doctor, how are they?"

Janet led him into her office. "In shock, sir. I've already given Lauren something to help her sleep, and I'm going to do the same for Colonel Carter. If you want a debriefing I'd recommend talking to Daniel and Colonel O'Neill, they seem to be the most coherent and focussed."

Hammond nodded. "Thank you Doctor. Can I take them now?"

"Yes sir, but I'd like them to return to the infirmary afterwards."

Hammond left the office, and walked to the bed where O'Neill was sitting, staring at a now sleeping Sam. "Colonel O'Neill, Doctor Jackson, I'd like to debrief you now, if you're up to it." Daniel looked to Jack, who took a moment to leave his reverie.

"Yes sir." He answered, and with a last look at Sam, led them from the infirmary.

* * *

_It's not over yet! More very soon. Please keep on reviewing!_

_Beka  
_


	14. Coping

_**Revelations - part 14**_

_Here's the fourteenth chapter. I hope you like it. Please review. Please?  
_

* * *

When Sam awoke, the first thing she remembered was her sister. She sat up quickly and called Lauren's name, only to feel Jack's comforting hand on her shoulder. 

"It's alright. Lauren's asleep. Adam's watching her." Jack told her soothingly. Sam sighed and leaned back against her pillows.

"How long was I asleep?" She asked.

"About 4 hours. Daniel and I told Hammond everything. Everything's gonna be fine." He stroked her hair gently, willing her not to remember too quickly . . .

"Oh God, my team . . ." Sam moaned. Jack closed his eyes briefly, hurting for her.

"They're in the morgue. The Doc says you can see them if you'd like." Sam nodded and swung her legs off of the bed, taking Jack's steadying hand as she stood up, still feeling the effects of the sedative.

The morgue was dark and candle-lit, casting an oddly ethereal look over the faces of SG-2. Sam stood numbly in the doorway, unwilling to accept that this was her team, dead. She slowly entered, leaving Jack at the doorway, and went to each one of the men in turn, saying a silent goodbye to them individually. She finished at Major Ward, and stayed standing there, staring at his lifeless face. Jack approached her and rubbed her back supportively.

"I know there isn't anything I can say . . ." He trailed off, feeling useless.

"Have their families been told?" Sam asked quietly.

"Not yet." Jack replied. "Hammond wanted to talk to you first." Sam nodded, and after softly kissing Major Ward's forehead, she left. Jack didn't follow. He knew where she was going, and that he couldn't help her any more.

* * *

Hammond looked up as Colonel Carter appeared at his door. She looked terrible. 

"Colonel, come in, have a seat." Sam sat down in the chair opposite his desk, and waited for him to ask the question.

"How are you feeling?" Hammond asked, wincing as he realised what a stupid question that was.

"Coping, sir." Sam responded, military wall firmly in place. "Colonel O'Neill says you wanted to talk to me before informing their families." It was obvious who she meant.

"Yes." Hammond confirmed. He looked at the tired Colonel sadly. "I'm sorry, Colonel, I know what it's like to lose people under your command, and there is no easy way to deal with it, or to do this next part. I'm going to call the next of kin of each of them, and I wanted to ask if there was anything you'd like me to say."

Sam looked at her hands. "You mean besides the fact that they were all wonderful people, excellent soldiers and good friends?"

Hammond nodded. "That's what I thought. I'm going to call them now, and I don't think you should be here for it."

"Sir?"

"It will be very difficult Sam, and you don't need to put yourself through that." He explained.

"I should be here. They were my responsibility." She said quietly. Hammond looked worried.

"Don't blame yourself. There was nothing you could have done, and you know that." He said slowly and sincerely. Sam stood up numbly.

"Was there anything else sir?"

Hammond sighed. "No."

"Thank you sir." She quickly left, and walked straight into the arms of Jack, who was waiting in the corridor.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the infirmary, Daniel and Adam were sitting with Lauren. She was feigning sleep, hoping to put off dealing with the inevitable 'are you okay'/ 'how are you feeling' questions. She loved them both to bits, but she didn't think she could face anyone's pity right now. 

However, her act was ruined when the klaxons blared unexpectedly, making her flinch. Adam noticed it immediately, and squeezed her hand.

"Hey sleepy, how are –"

"Don't finish that sentence." Lauren cut him off, sitting up wearily. "I'm fine."

She looked sideways to the bed she knew Sam had been sleeping in, surprised to see it vacant.

"Where's Sam?"

"Jack took her to see her team." Daniel said quietly. Lauren sighed.

"How is she?"

"God only knows. Something tells me she's gonna have a lot of trouble with this."

"Well at least she has us. We can help her." She said resolutely. Adam gave her a tight smile.

"And what about you?" He asked gently. Lauren tried to glare at him for asking, but couldn't quite do it. She knew he was still pretty upset about what he'd seen.

"I'll be fine. It's nothing I haven't coped with before."

"Lauren –"

"_Doctor Jackson to the Gateroom."_ The intercom cut in harshly. Daniel gave Lauren's hand a squeeze, and got up.

"I'll be back later." He told them with a small smile, leaving the young two alone.

* * *

Daniel entered the Gateroom to find one very irate Tok'ra on the ramp. 

"What the hell happened, Daniel?" A familiar voice barked.

Daniel sighed. "Jacob. Thanks for coming."

* * *

_Da . . . da da da . . . DAAAAAAA! How will Jacob react? Find out very soon . . . _

_plus: please please please review! I'm getting withdrawal symptoms form lack of feedback!_

_Beka ;-)_


	15. Daddy's home

_**Revelations - part 15**_

_So, how will Jacob react? Read on to find out! And don't forget to review!  
_

* * *

  
Daniel talked Jacob Carter through the botched mission as they walked to the infirmary. So far, the Tok'ra hadn't said anything. Clearly he was saving the explosion for the end of the story. Or the appearance of one or both of his daughters.

_Speak of the devil_, Daniel thought, as they rounded a corner to see Sam and Jack walking into an elevator.

"Sam!" Jacob called, running towards her. Sam turned back and moved towards him, letting him sweep her into a tight hug. Jack held the elevator open, suspecting they would all be heading for the infirmary very soon.

"Daniel?" He mouthed at the archaeologist, eyebrows raised.

Daniel skirted round Sam and her father, to join Jack in the elevator doorway. "He came through about five minutes ago. The general gave him the basic overview of what happened, and I've filled him in on the rest." He whispered. Jack nodded, privately glad that he'd been saved that unenviable task.

"How is she?" Daniel asked, nodding at Sam, who was still being fretted over by Jacob.

"As good as can be expected. I think she's blaming herself."

"That's insane!" He said it a bit too loudly, and the two Carters turned to look at him.

"Sorry." He said quickly.

Jacob led Sam into the elevator, an arm round her shoulders, effectively ending Jack and Daniel's conversation.

"How's Lauren doing?" Jacob asked.

"She's trying to pretend she's fine." Daniel said. Sam grimaced.

"I was afraid of that."

"I'd like to strangle the rat bastard that did this to her." Jacob said acidly.

"You mean the aliens or her adopted father?" Jack asked.

"Both." Jacob squeezed Sam's shoulders tighter. "We can't let her brush this under the carpet."

"I know." Sam said. She was desperately worried about Lauren doing just that. Hopefully her newfound relationship with Adam would help.

The elevator stopped, and as a group they walked to the infirmary. Inside they found Lauren sitting up in bed, talking quietly to Adam.

"Lauren." Jacob caught his youngest daughter's attention.

"Dad?" She said hesitantly, surprised. She still felt a little weird calling Jacob 'dad', given how rarely she'd seen him since their initial reunion five years ago.

Jacob descended on her in the same way he had Sam, sweeping her into his arms and just holding her. It didn't matter to him that he'd never got the chance to see her grow up, he loved her as much as he did Sam. And woe betide anyone who dared hurt her.

Adam, Sam and Jack backed off, giving Jacob and Lauren a little space.

"You okay, sweetheart?" Jacob asked her after a moment, pulling back.

Lauren nodded, blinking the tears out of her eyes. "I'll be fine. It's Sam you need to worry about."

"I'm worrying about both of you. You've been through a terrible ordeal."

"Like I've been telling everyone else, it's nothing I haven't been through before. I _will_ be fine."

Jacob looked at her sadly. She was so stubborn. She definitely got that from him.

"Okay. But I'm gonna stick around for awhile, just until you're both back on your feet."

"I'm only in the infirmary because Janet insisted I sleep here."

"I meant figuratively. Heck, you know what I mean. Throw me a bone here, kid, I wanna look after you the way I never got a chance to when you were little."

Lauren gave him a watery smile. "Thanks, Dad."

"No problem, kiddo."

* * *

_So, how did I do? Hope you liked it!_

_Beka  
_


	16. Fallout

**_Revelations - part 16_**

_Here's chapter 16_. _As usual, reviews will win you my eternal undying gratitude!  
_

* * *

The next few days were very difficult for Sam and SG-1. They were struggling to come to terms with their experiences, as well as the inevitable fallout with regards to team structure. After two days, Hammond called the five of them into the briefing room, to discuss the respective positions of Lauren and Adam, and Jack and Sam. 

"I think it's clear that some changes need to be made." He started. "The Pentagon and the President are just not comfortable with both Lauren and Major Tyler remaining on SG-1."

The pair nodded. They'd known this would come eventually.

"Colonel Carter, I've also been pressed to begin the process to replace the members SG-2." He watched her carefully as she ducked her head, trying to hide the flash of pain that had crossed her face. "I know it's a little soon, but we have a war to fight."

"Yes sir."

"That said, we may be able to kill two birds with one stone here, to a certain extent. Major Tyler, I've been authorised to offer you a position on SG-2, on the condition that Colonels Carter and O'Neill have no objections." The two team commanders shook their heads, Sam looking positively happy with the news. Adam only looked at Lauren, silently asking her opinion.

Lauren wasn't sure what to think. On the one hand, it would solve their problem, and she and Adam would be free to pursue a relationship. On the other, it just didn't feel right that Adam should lose his place on SG-1 because of her.

"Can we have a little while to think about it?" She asked. Hammond nodded, and moved on to the next issue.

"Colonel Carter, Colonel O'Neill, I've also been asked to pass on the president's congratulations to you." Sam and Jack looked up at him sharply.

"Sorry sir?" Jack said, certain he'd heard wrong.

"Congratulations for finally getting your heads in gear and addressing your feelings." The pair exchanged slightly bemused looks.

"The uh – the _president_, sir?" Sam repeated.

"Yes. As well as a good portion of the personnel here at the SGC."

Jack caught Daniel smirking at them.

"I myself have collected a considerable sum from the SGC betting pools." Hammond added with a small smile.

"_Betting pools???_" Jack and Sam said together, open-mouthed.

"Come on guys, you had to have known." Daniel said mockingly.

"No! Why the hell were people betting on us?" Sam asked, looking worried.

"Why d'ya think?" Lauren teased her. "You're both so obviously made for each other."

"So we're not being reassigned, sir?" Jack asked.

"Certainly not!" Hammond said vehemently. "I need you both exactly where you are."

Jack grinned at Sam. "Okay then."

Hammond turned back to Adam and Lauren. "You two have 24 hours to consider your options, before I need a decision. Think hard, people. I don't need to tell you that this will affect not only you but the future of SG-1 and 2."

"Colonels, I'm gonna need you to stay behind to discuss who'll fill the gaps in your teams. The rest of you, dismissed."

* * *

"I don't want you to give up your place on SG-1 for me." Lauren said firmly, when they got to her lab after the meeting. 

Adam perched on the edge of her desk, and took her hands. "But I love you, Loz. Why can't I choose you over a position on SG-1 rather than SG-2?"

"Because . . . just because. I'd feel terribly guilty. You worked so hard to get that position, and to earn Jack's respect. Now you'd be . . . you'd be throwing it all away just for me." She argued.

"So?"

"So . . . I . . ."

Adam smiled gently and stood up, cupping her face with his hands, his thumbs stroking her cheeks.

"So you're not used to people doing things just for you."

Lauren got a strange look on her face, and stared at the floor. "No."

"Because you grew up with people who didn't care?"

"Yeah, I guess. Sam was the first person to ever make me feel loved, and needed. I just . . ." she struggled to explain it to him.

"I know, sweetheart." He pulled her into his arms, holding her close. "But I need you. And I need to do this, to be with you. Will you let me?"

Lauren's eyes filled with tears. "Okay."

* * *

_I have written a sort of finale, but it's a bit too soppy at the moment so I'm doing some polishing. I haven't forgotten you! It will come, but it may take some time while I decide whether to just give it a quick 'and they all lived happily ever after' ending, or do some more . . . I dunno, explaining about how they got to that point, after the mission. Any thoughts, ideas, random little ravings, are always welcome! Actively encouraged, actually!_

_Beka ;-)  
_


	17. Hell yeah

_**Revelations - Final chapter**_

_Here it is! It took a while, but I have decided on the sappy ending. It seemed appropriate, somehow. That and I really didn't know how else to end it after all they'd been through in the story. I really really hope you like it.  
_

* * *

  
The air in Jack's hallway smelt deliciously of Christmas as he breezed towards his front door. Sam had really outdone herself with the decorations – every available inch of the house was lined with a festive green, red and gold. The tree he had got himself, and they'd decorated it together to a background of soft seasonal songs. Their first Christmas together. Funny, he'd never have pegged himself as a sap. Now he almost had to restrain himself from humming and skipping. Huh.

With a heroic _walk_ down the hall devoid of any unholy humming _or_ skipping, Jack opened the front door.

"Happy Christmas!" On the doorstep stood Lauren and Adam, arm in arm and looking like a pair of goddamn newlyweds. _Well, _Jack thought, _with these two around maybe no one will notice if I accidentally burst into song. _

_Or not._

He ushered them in, listening happily as they rushed into the living room to greet Daniel and Sam. His family.

_Oh, give over. _

He grinned at the pesky little voice of his old self. It was really hard to care about jeopardising the hard man image while he was this happy. And he was happy. Deliriously so. He was engaged to the woman of his dreams. He still had to pinch himself sometimes to make sure it was really happening. That Sam Carter could possibly want to marry _him._

He entered the living room to a truly wonderful sight. Lauren and Adam were squished into his huge armchair, Adam's left arm wrapped loosely round his girlfriend's waist, while his right reached for a beer. Daniel and Sam were on the couch, arguing good-naturedly about whether or not Thor would look good dressed up as an elf. Clearly they were slightly tipsy.

Then Sam looked at him. And he couldn't help but grin inanely. She stood and walked towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him softly. God, he loved this woman.

"Happy Christmas." She whispered.

Jack looked around the room again, smirking at the sight of a drunk Daniel playing with Ollie, their new Springer-Spaniel puppy, and Lauren laughing at something Adam had said, and finally looking back at Sam, who's eyes were glowing lovingly as she gazed at him.

There was really only one thing to say.

"Hell yeah."

* * *

_So what did you think? Please please please let me know!_

_Beka_


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